Subsea blowout prevention and landing apparatus



July 5, 1966 R. A. MccLlNTocK ETAL 3,259,191

SUBSEA BLOWOUT PREVENTION AND LANDING APPARATUS Filed May 5. 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet P.-

INVENTORS WHA/VN 6 Mc MAN/GAL //farneys for ff/can/s July 5, 1966 R. A. MCcLlNTocK ETAI. 3,259,191

SUBSEA BLOWOUT PREVENTION AND LANDING APPARATUS Filed May 5, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 /r l g 7.5

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i. INVENToRs.

WHA/VN Mc MAN/6,41. /4 gj forneys /o'r pf/can/s 'Il' Mij July 5, 1956 R. A. McLlN-rocK ETAL 3,259,191

SUBSEA BLOWOUT PREVENTION AND LANDING APPARATUS Filed May 5. 1958 6 Sheets-SheetI 4 R055 A McCL/NTOCK, /A YMO/VD E. THOMPSON KENNETH E. W/CCWR,

INVENTORS. WHANN McMAN/GL July 5, 1966 R. A. MGcLlNTocK ETAL 3,259,191

SUBSEA BLOWOUT PREVENTION AND LANDING APPARATUS Filed May 5. 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 P055 ,4. Mc a//v rock, fig RA YMO/VD E THOMPSOM l 4;;'1 KENNfHE. W/IGGNFR, e; INVENToRs.

g fl WHA NN c Mc MAN/GAL July 55 1966 R. A. MCcLlNTocK ETAL 3,259,191

SUBSEA BLOWQUT PREVENTION AND LANDING APPARATUS Filed May 5. 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 United States Patent() 3,259,191 SUBSEA BLOWOUT PREVENTION AND LANDING APPARATUS Ross A. McClintock, 17051 Santiago Blvd., Rte. 3, Orange, Calif.; Raymond E. Thompson, 3620 Rose Drive, Rte. 1, Placentia, Calif.; and Kenneth E. Waggener, 921 E. Elm, Brea, Calif.

Filed May 5, 1958, Ser. No. 733,031 Claims. (Cl. 166-85) This invention relates generally to well drilling equipment and relates more particularly to apparatus such as is used in the drilling of oil Wells and the like.

While the invention has particular utility in oil-shore or subsea drilling operations, and is shown and described in such connection, it is to be understood that its utility is not confined thereto.

In oil well drilling operations, several strings of successively smaller diameter casing or pipe may be used. After the outer casing is in place, a drill string of smaller diameter may be used to drill downwardly beyond the lower end of the casing and after this drilling operation has been completed, there may be still further drilling with successively smaller diameter drill strings and after the drilling operations have been carried out and the respective casings installed the well must be completed by making the necessary connections from the wellhead to a storage reservoir or the like from which the oil is handled in the usual manner.

The drilling of the well and lthe completion thereof, particularly in underwater operations, involve some dificult problems and it is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide apparatus which solves these problems or diiliculties.

It is another object of the present invention to provide equipment or apparatus with which the upper portions of the string or strings may be disconnected from the lower por-tion or portions to leave an upper end portion or upper end portions which project above lthe formation surface to which completion apparatus may be easily and quickly attached to provide a connection from the upper end of the well to the surface of the water.

Still another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of this -character which permits removal of the well head equipment and reconnection as, for example, for further drilling or cleaning out of the well or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved apparatus for landing strings of casings or pipes.

A still further object of the invention is to provide apparatus or equipment of this character that is relatively simple in construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus or equipment of this character that is reliable and effective 1n use.

Still another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of this character that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and install.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are fur-ther sufficiently referred to in connection with the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings which represent one embodiment. After considering -this example, skilled persons will understand that variations may be made without departing from the principles disclosed, the employment of Vany structures, or arrangements or modes of opera-tion that are properly within the scope of the appended claims is contemplated.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. l is ya perspective undersea view of a boat used in connection with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of apparatus or equipment embodying the presen-t invention showing the parts as they are arranged in an initial state of the drilling operation;

ICC

FIG. 2A is a side elevation similar to FIG. 2 -but showing the barrel unit of the release joint on the anchoring casing, separated from the mandrel thereof and partly in section;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the drilling apparatus used in a subsequent state of opera-tion;

FIG. 4 is a sectional View taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of drilling apparatus, partially in section, showing the arrangement of said apparatus in a later state of operation;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the apparatus and wellheadl equipment installed, parts thereof being shown in section;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged longitudinal section through lthe.

inner part of the wellhead equipment; and

FIG. 7A is a side view of the barrel portion of a casing extension, parts being broken away to show the interior thereof.

Referring to FIG. 1, underwater drilling operations are carried out from a boat as disclosed in the Gibson et al. application, Serial No. 627,250 for Method and Apparatus for Offshore Drilling, tiled December 10, 1956. The boat, indicated generally at 7, has all the equipment for underwater drilling operations, including a derrick 8 disposed over a well 9 in said boat through which equipmentv is raised and lowered.

The apparatus or equipment includes a drill string 10, FIG. 2, having an expandable drill at the lower end including drill parts 11 and 12, the drill part 11 being larger- Details of the release joint 16 are shown in FIGS. 2Af

and 5. The mandrel is tubular with a relatively thick wall portion 19 at the lower end and a relatively short shank 20 extending upwardly from the part 19 and having a reduced external diameter. The internal bore 21 of the mandrel is of somewhat larger diameter than the internal diameter of the casing with a lower end bore portion 22 of reduced diameter, the diameter of the bore portion 22 being substantially the same as the internal diameter of the casing 14. At the junction of the bore portions 22 and 21, there is an upwardly and outwardly inclined annular shoulder 23 which provides a seating surface for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The lower end of the mandrel is provided with an internal counter bore 24` in which is received the upper end portion of the casing 14, there being a depending annular flange 25 at the lower end of said mandrel which overlaps said upper end por-` tion of the casing and the lower end of ange 25 is secured to the adjacent portion of the casing 14 by any suitable means such as welding 26 or the like. From the reduced diameter bore portion 23, there extend radial openings 27 to the exterior of said mandrel.

At the junction of the shank 20 with the portion 19 of the mandrel, there is an external annular shoulder 30 and from said shoulder a suitable number of downwardly inclined external, spiral or helical slots 31 are provided, there being three of said slots in the present arrangement although some other suitable number may be used. The closed end walls 32 of the slots 31 extend longitudinally with respect to the mandrel and at the open end of each slot 31, there is a longitudinally extending key sleeve locking slot or recess 33 formed in the bottom 34 of said slot 31. Slot 31 is open at the upper end and extends downwardly from the shoulder 30, the lower end of said slot 31 being closed.

The barrel unit 18 comprises a tubular barrel 36 having a plurality of interior lugs 37 adjacent the lower end but spaced upwardly or inwardly of said lower end, said lugs having their top and bottom ends, 37a and 37b respectively, inclined at substantially the same angle as the upper and lower walls respectively of the slots 31. There is a lug 37 for each slot 31 and said lugs are slidably receivable in said slots.

At the upper end of the barrel 36 there is an annular, external flange 3S for attachment by means of bolts 39 to an annular external flange 40 of a relatively short tubular collar 41 having a longitudinally extending bore 42 therethrough of substantially the same diameter as the diameter of the bore portion 21 of the mandrel. At the lower end of the collar 41 there is a counter bore 43 of greater diameter than the diameter of the bore 42, the upper end of a xed sleeve 44 being secured in said counter bore 43. When the collar 41 is secured to the barrel 36, the fixed sleeve 44 depends into the upper end portion of said barrel. The internal diameter of the sleeve 44 is substantially the same as the diameter of the bore 42 of collar 41 while the external diameter of sleeve 44 is substantially less than the internal diameter of said barrel 36 so that there is provided between the interior surface of th'e barrel 36 and the exterior of said sleeve 444 an annular chamber 4S for reception of a spring 46 and also for slidable reception of the upper end portion of a key sleeve 47. Key sleeve 47 is provided at the lower end with a plurality of annularly spaced depending keys 48 which are adapted to be slidably received in the key slots 34, there being a key 48 for each key slot 34 and said keys are adapted to lock the lugs 37 in their respective slots 31 and to prevent said lugs 37 from moving out of said slots 31 when the barrel unit is locked on the mandrel. The key sleeve 47 is urged downwardly by the spring 46 which reacts against the lower end of the collar 41 and the upper end of said key sleeve. The foregoing provides releasable locking or latching means for releasably connecting the barrel and mandrel units together. When the barrel unit is separated from the mandrel, downward or outward movement of the sleeve 47 is limited by engagement of the lower end of said sleeve with the lugs 37, the keys 48 being normally disposed between the lugs 37 when said key sleeve is at its downward limit of movement. In order to retain the key sleeve in the position whereat the paths of movement of the keys are between the lugs, the key sleeve is provided with an external, longitudinally extending groove 50 and there is a set screw 51 received in a radially extending tapped bore, the inner end of said set screw being received in said groove 50. When it is desired to remove the sleeve 47, said set screw is screwed outwardly until the inner end is clear of said groove. Suitable seals, such as O-rings 52 and 53 are disposed in suitable grooves provided therefor within the sleeve 47. The seal 52 is adapted to sealingly engage the exterior of thek shank 20 of the mandrel when the barrel unit is locked on said mandrel while the seal 53 sealingly engages the exterior of the fixed sleeve 44.

The barrel 36 is provided with a landing base or control plate 60 having an axial opening for reception of said barrel. The plate 60 is secured to the barrel by any suitable means, such as welding or the like 61 and reinforcing and aiding in the support of said plate 60 are a plurality of annularly spaced radially extending webs 62 which have their inner ends secured to the barrel 36 by any suitable means such as welding or the like and which have their upper edges secured to the underside of said plate 61) by any suitable means such as welding or the like.

On the upper side of said plate 60 are a pair of diametrically arranged brackets 63 disposed adjacent the edge of said plate.

In upwardly spaced relation to said plate 60 there is a funnel shaped guide 65 which has the large end facing upwardly and which has the lower, smaller end secured to the upper end of the collar 41 by any suitable means such as welding or the like. About the upper edge of the guide is an annular ring 66 which is suitably secured to the upper end of said guide. Suitably secured to the underside of the guide 65 are a plurality of radially extending, annularly spaced webs 68 which have their inner ends secured to the collar 41. Webs 68 are perforated as at 69 to lighten same. A pair of oppositely arranged webs 68 have end portions 7) which extend outwardly in opposite direction and which have their upper surface or edge in a common horizontal plane which is also the plane of the upper side of the ring 66, said end portions 70 being provided with laterally extending llanges 71 at their upper edges. The webs 68 which have the extended end p01- tions 70 are disposed above the respective brackets 63 of the landing base and are interconnected by vertical members 72 which have their respective ends secured by rivets 73 or the like to the brackets 63 and the webs 68 disposed above said brackets. At the ends of the end portion 70 are respective upstanding ears 74 which have openings provided therein for reception of cables 75 which are secured by means of clamps, not shown, said clamps being of any well-known type. These cables extend upwardly into the well 9 of the boat or ship 7 and kept taut by torque converter means connected to drums to which the upper ends of said cables are attached, as described in said Gibson et al. application, Serial No. 627,250.

The equipment or apparatus thus far described is used in the initial stages of the drilling operation. The drilling bits 11 and 12 are used to drill the bore in which the external casing 14 is disposed. Drill or bit 12 is a pilot drill for boring or drilling a bore while the drill 11 is of the expandable type and drills a larger bore 81 of such size as to receive the casing 14.

As described above, the casing 14- is stripped onto the drill string 10 which carries the drill ibits 11 and 12. When the bore has been drilled to the desired depth and .the casing positioned therein with the landing base 60 resting on the formation 82, the drill 12 is pulled upwardly through the drill 11 and thereafter the latter is also raised. As the drill 11 is raised, the cutters 83 move inwardly in the well-known manner so as to pass through the casing 14. While this drill bit arrangement is shown and described, it is to be understood that other suitable types may be used and the drilling of the bore and placing of the casing therein may be otherwise effected. For example, another procedure and apparatus is disclosed in the Gibson et al. application, Serial No. 627,250.

The casing 14 is then cemented into the formation in the well-known manner as best shown in FIG. 3, the cement being indicated at S6. This is effected by running the usual packer into the casing 14 and pumping cement downwardly therefrom so that said cement will pass around the lower end of the casing 14 and into the space between said casing and the adjacent wall portion of the bore.

It is to be understood, of course, that the bore for the casing 14 may be drilled in the formation by means of other types of rotary drilling bits on the drill string, the casing being installed after the drill string and bit have been removed from the bore, as described in the above mentioned Gibson et al. application, Serial No. 627,250.

After the casing 14 has been cemented in, the next step of the drilling operation is carried out. This comprises the drilling of a smaller diameter bore from the lower end of the bore 81 by means of a rotary drill bit at the lower end of a drill string. This equipment extends through the release joint 16 and the casing 14, the bore thus drilled being indicated at 87, FIG. 5. After the bore 37 has been drilled to the desired depth, the string and drill are removed and a casing thereafter assembled with a suibsea or underwater control unit at the upper end. This unit includes various components such as a submarine hydraulic double control gate or blowout preventer, mud cross, rotary blowout preventer, and submarine drilling head, all of these being disclosed in the above referred to Gibson et al. application, Serial No. 627,250. The double hydraulic blowout preventer or control gate herein indicated generally at 90 in FIG. 5 may be of any suitable type such as, for example, the Shader Submarine Hydraulic Double Control Gate, manufactured by Shaffer Tool Works. The lower end of said blowout preventer is connected to a sub 91 which has a collar 92 adjacent the upper end, said collar having a pair of arms 93 which extend radially in opposite directions and which have openings provided therefor for slidable reception of the cables 75. The lower end of the su'b 91 is connected to the upper end of .a top sub 94 of a second safety release joint, indicated generally at 95, which is similar in construction and operation to the joint 16 but of smaller external diameter than the internal diameter of said safety release joint 16 so that said joint 95 is receivable within joint 16. Details of the construction and operation of thev joint 95 are also substantially the same as the safety release joint shown in the copending Waggener application, Serial No. 605,241, for Release Casing Safety Joint for Well Tool Strings, tiled August 2l, 1956.

Safety release joint 95 includes a barrel unit 97 and a mandrel 98 which has an enlarged diameter portion 99 provided at the lower end with a tapered seat 100 adapted to seat on the shoulder 23 of the mandrel 17. Suitable seals 101 are disposed in external annular grooves provided therefor in the enlarged portion 99 of the safety release joint 95.

The casing for the bore l87 is indicated at 104, FIGS. 3 and 5, and is lowered into the well. In this operation, a guide shoe 105 of known character and purpose, is provided at the lower end of the casing string 104 and on said casing, adjacent said shoe 105, is provided a guide collar y106, FIG. 4, of a guide device, indicated generally at 107. The guide collar 106 comprises a pair of oppositely arranged arcuate parts 108 which are secured together by means of shear pins 109. Each of the parts 108 is provided with an arm 1-10 which extends radially outwardly, said arms being dia-metrically opposed and each being provided lwith a relatively short tubular member 111 at the outer end for slidable reception of the respective cables 75.

The lower end of the casing string 104 is received in the guide collar 106 and the guide device 107 guides said lower end downwardly into the guide housing 65 and thence in-to the safety release joint 16. When the guide device 107 reaches the upper end of the guide housing 65, it is held against further downward movement. However, the casing 104 will continue to move downwardly into the lwel-l and the first drill coupling 104a that comes into engagement with said guide collar 106 will cause the shear pins 109 to ibe sheared and open said collar.

If desired, the guide collar 106 may ibe of sufficient size to permit the drill couplings of the casing string 104 to pass therethrough so that the guide collar .106 will not be opened thereby. With this arrangement of the guide collar 106, the latter will be -opened by the lower end 99 of said second safety release `joint 95 which engages said collar and shears the pins 109 to thereby lopen said guide collar so -that said joint 95 will pass downwardly into the joint 16. In either event, the apparatus will be arranged as shown in FIG. 5, with the enlarged part 99 of the safety release joint 95 seated on said shoulder 23.

The enlarged portion 99 of the mandrel 98 of safety release joint 95 is adapted to support the casing string 104. |The latter -is cemented in and thereafter all drilling operations are carried out through the preventer 90, safety release joint 95 and casing 104. The ordinary cementing operation is contemplated but should it be desired to cement all the way up between the casing 14 and casing 104 the cement in the hole outside the casing 14 does no-t come to the top but stops just below the holes 27. When the casing 104 is `cemented in, the cement will move upwardly in the space between the casing 104 and casing '14 and the openings 27 will serve as relief vents so that the cement may rise between said casings -104 and L14.

When drilling the next smaller diameter bore, the shoe will be drilled through before the bit begins to penetrate the formation. The next bore is then drilled to the desired depth, after which the string and bit are removed and a suitable casing 125, IFIG. 6, installed in the well-known manner in this last drilled bore, said casing being provided at its upper end with a safety re- 'lease joint mandrel 126 which is received within the safety release joint 95 and seated on a shoulder within the mandrel 98, said shoulder being similar to the shoulder 23 of the mandrel 17. The safety release joint for the casing also includes a barrel unit, not shown, which provides a releasable connection between said mand-rel \126 and the pipe string above said safety release joint. After the casing 125 has been installed, the barrel unit of the safety release joint for the casing 125 is released, as above described in connection with the barrel units of the previously described safety release joints.

While ythe well herein shown and described has but two casing strings 104 and I125, of progressively reduced diameter below the casing 14, it is to be understood that there may be any desired number of such casings depending upon the depth to which the well is to be drilled as is well known in the art.

After removal of said barrel uni-t from the mandrel 126, an extension 130 for the casing 125 is installed and includes a barrel unit 130a, FIG. 7A, which includes a plurality o-f lugs 1321 on the interior thereof for reception in external spiral grooves 132 of the mandrel, said lugs being retained in said grooves by keys 133 at the lower end of -a slidable key sleeve 134. These parts are similar to the corresponding par-t of previously described release joints so that it is believed that a furthe-r description thereof is unnecessary at this point.V

At the upper end of the extension 130 'there is a mandrel 135 which includes a plurality of spiral grooves 136 therein and key slots 137, said mandrel also including an upwardly extending shank 138. The extension 130 is installed in the usual manner by telescoping the barrel unit 130 onto the mandrel 126, a barrel unit at the lower end of the drill string or pipe Vstring being removably attached to the mandrel 135 and removed after the barrel unit of the extension has been attached to said mandrel 126. Thereafter, Va production head indicated generally at 140, FIGS. 6 and 7, is attached to the mandrel 135.

Production head is provided at its upper end with a mandrel part 142, said mandrel part 142 having helical groove-s 143 in the outer side thereof for reception of the lugs of a barrel unit 144 at the 'lower end of a pipe string, there also being key slots 145 in the mandrel part 142 for reception of the locking keys of the barrel unit 144. It is to be understood that the barrel unit 144 is of similar construction to the barrel units lshown and described hereinabove except for size, the barrel unit 144 being of relatively small size for cooperative engagement with the mandrel part of the production head 140 for installation of said production head.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 7, the mandrel part 142 of the production head 140 has an axial bore 146 extending from the upper end and terminating at the inner end in a Wall 147 which has an axial, tapped bore 148. The lower end of said mandrel part 142 is provided with an internally threaded socket 149 which terminates at the upper end in ya chamber portion 1'50. Socket 149 threadably receives an externally threaded pin 151 and there is a seal `152 in an internal annular groove in the mandrel part at the inner end of the socket 149.

The pin 151 is at the upper end of the tubular body 153 of the production head, there being an axial chamber 154 extending downwardly from the upper endA of said body, the lower end of said chamber 154 having an annular shoulder 155 and extending downwardly from the chamber 154 and communicating therewith is an axial, internally threaded bore 156 in which is disposed a venturi plug 157 which has an outwardly extending annular flange 158 at the upper end thereof, there being a sealing element 159 between said iiange and shoulder 155. The venturi plug 157 has a venturi shaped passage 15% therethrough with a throat 160 intermediate the ends thereof. rThe plug 157 has external threads whereby said plug is screwed into the internally threaded bore 156 and secured therein.

Fluid ow through the plug 157 into the chamber 154 is controlled by a downwardly tapered valve member 162 secured to the lower end of a valve stem 163 which has a threaded portion 16341 operably disposed in the bore 148 through wall 147. The upper end of the stem 163 is secured by any suitable means, such as welding or the like to a cylindrical member 165 having an upper end 166 formed for reception of a wrench or other tool, the particular shape of the end portion 166 being square in cross section but it is to be understood that any other shape may be used or the member 165 may have an internal socket, the purpose of the end portion 166 being for the purpose of providing means whereby the member 165 may be engaged and actuated by a suitable tool. The member 165 has sealing means comprising annular seals 16S operably disposed in external annular recesses provided therefor in the member 165, said sealing means 163 providing a seal between said member 165 and the wall of the bore 146 to prevent escape of tiuid past said member. Thus, fluid flow into the chamber 154 may be controlled and such uid is adapted to pass outwardly of the chamber 154 through the cross openings or bores 17). Below the bore 156 and communicating therewith is a cylindrical chamber 171 and below said chamber 171 is an enlarged cylindrical chamber 172, chambers 171 and 172 being part of the barrel portion of the production head, said barrel portion being adapted to be attached to the mandrel 135, there being lugs 143a on the interior of the barrel and in chamber 172 removably receivable in the grooves 136 of the mandrel 135.

The barrel portion of the production head is provided with a key sleeve 175 having depending keys 176 receivable in respective key slots 137 for the grooves 136, said keys being adapted to releasably retain the lugs 14322 in said grooves 136. The key sleeve 175 is slidably disposed within the chamber 172 of said barrel portion and is provided with a longitudinal external groove 179 for reception of the inner end of a screw 189 whereby said sleeve may move longitudinally in the chamber 172 but is held against rotational movement. A spring 181 in the chamber 172 urges the key sleeve 175 downwardly, said key sleeve having an external notch 182 therein which registers with a longitudinal extending opening 183 in the wall defining the chamber 172, said notch 182 being engageable by a suitable tool which extends through the opening 153 for raising said sleeve 175 to move the keys 176 from their slots and permit removal of the production head from the mandrel 135. Mechanism of this character and a tool for effecting such release movement of the sleeve 175 is disclosed in applicants copending application for Locked and Quick Release T ool Joint and Connection, Serial No. 648,717, liled Mar-ch 26, 1957. The tubular shank 138 of the mandrel 135 extends upwardly and has an upper end portion received in the chamber portion 171, there being a seal 186 in an internal groove provided therefor in the Wall of the chamber portion 171.

When the production head 149 is attached to the mandrel 135, the valve member 162 is in a position to close the passage through the venturi plug 157 and when said production head has been attached to said mandrel 135 the preventer 9i) and equipment above same are released and removed, this release being effected by a suitable tool which extends into the barrel unit 97 of the release joint 95. The tool for effecting this release is tubular for passing over the production head 140 and between the inner wall of the extension and casing 125, and the interior of said barrel unit 97, said tool being provided with external fingers which are yieldingly urged outwardly for engagement with an internal shoulder 190, FIGS. 5 and 6, of the key sleeve 191 of said release joint 95. The tool, of course, is attached to the lower end of a string of pipe.

After releasing the barrel unit 97, the preventer 9@ and equipment above same is raised by engaging the gates of said preventer 96 into an annular groove in a tool attached to the lower end of a pipe string. The preventer 99 and said equipment are then raised in the usual manner by any well known means. This procedure is described in the above referred to application, Serial No. 627,250.

Following removal of the preventer, extension 200 is attached to the mandrel 9S of the safety Arelease joint 95, said extension having a barrel unit arrangement at the lower end which includes the usual lugs for reception in helical slots in the mandrel 98 and a key sleeve having depending keys for lreception in the key slots of said mandrel 98. At the upper end, said extension 201! is provided with a mandrel part 202 which includes a body 263 having helical slots 204 therein and key slots 205, the mandrel having a relatively short shank 206.

For all practical purposes, the extensions 130 and 200 may be considered as part of the casings or casing strings 125 and 104 respectively. The purpose of the extensions is merely to have the casing strings through which the production head parts are attached raised to a point where they are conveniently positioned for attachment or detachment of said production head parts. Other arrangements may be used to position the upper ends of the casings where they are readily accessible.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 6, the production head housing is shown generally at 210 and includes a tubular body 212. At the upper end the body 212 is provided with an internally threaded socket 214 at the upper end of which there is an outwardly flared entrance part 215 to guide the lower externally threaded end portion of a pipe string into said socket, said housing 210 being attached to the lower end of such pipe string when said housing is installed or removed.

From the lower end of the socket 214 there extends a reduced diameter bore 216 at the lower end of which is a wall 217 having a further reduced diameter bore 218 therein of such size as to operably receive the production head 140. The wall 217 is provided with a pair of annular, longitudinally spaced recesses for reception of sealing elements 220, said wall 217 also having an annular groove 222 therein which is located between the sealing elements 220. When the housing 210 is installed on the mandrel 202, the openings of the production head are in register with said groove so that fluid from the chamber 154 of the production head may flow outwardly through said openings 170 and into the groove 222 which is connected with a conduit 224 having a fixture 225 screwed into an opening provided therefor in the Wall of the body 212 and which communicates with the groove 222 by means of a cross bore 226, the seals 220 preventing fluid escaping between the exterior of the production head and the bore 218.

Below the wall 217 there is an enlarged axial chamber 227 which is defined by a tubular wall 228 which may be considered the barrel unit portion of the housing 210, said wall 228 vbeing the barrel. The interior of the barrel is provided with the usual lugs, not shown, for reception in the helical slots 204. When the lugs are in said slots 204, they are locked in position by means of keys, not shown, on a key sleeve 230 which is slidably disposed within the barrel 22S and urged downwardly by a spring 231.

There is means for moving the sleeve 236 upwardly to the release position against the force of spring 231 and said means comprises a pair of oppositely disposed and outwardly extending lugs 235 operatively located within respective, longitudinally extending slots 236, said lugs 235 being connected to the key sleeve by respective rods 237. Rods 237 are slidable in bores provided therefor through the wall 217 and may be provided with suitable seals to prevent entrance of water or the like into the interior of the barrel 228. In order to remove the housing 210, a suitable tool may be used for engaging the outer ends of the lugs 235 which project outwardly of the body of said housing, said lugs being pulled upwardly until the keys of the key sleeve are removed from the key slots 205, whereupon the lugs of the barrel 228 will move out of the slots 204 as already described in connection with other release joints.

After the housing 210 has been installed, a suitable tool at the end of a pipe string is lowered and engaged with the end 166 of the member 165 and rotated to raise the valve member 162 and open the passage through the plug 157 so that oil from the casing 125 may flow upwardly through said plug 157, into chamber 154, through cross bores 170, into the annular recess 222, cross bore 226 and into the conduit 224. The conduit 224 extends upwardly to a vessel having a suitable reservoir or the like or saidconduit 224 may extend to the shore and connected to any suitable reservoir or disposal means.

It is to be understood that guides such as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 are used to guide the production head and the housing therefor downwardly for engagement with the respective mandrels of the casings to which said production head and housing are attached.

It is also to be understood that the barrel unit 97 of the release joint 95 may be provided with external means for effecting movement of the key sleeve to the release position, one type of such arrangement being that used for the housing 210.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it is thought that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts of the invention Without departing from the spirit and scope thereof or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the embodiment hereinbefore described being merely one arrangement.

We claim:

1. A production head for oil wells drilled into underwater formations and having a production casing terminating adjacent the surface of said formation and having a release joint mandrel at the upper end thereof provided with helical slots and longitudinally extending key slots, comprising: a tubular body having a mandrel portion at the upper end provided with helical grooves and key slots at the entrances thereof, there being an axial bore extending inwardly from the upper end and a fluid chamber separated from said bore by a Wall having an internally lthreaded axial bore therethrough, there being radially extending outlet passages from said chamber; a barrel unit at the lower end of said body comprising a barrel having a barrel chamber open at the lower end; lugs in said barrel for reception in helical grooves of a mandrel; a key sleeve slidably disposed in the barrel chamber; keys depending from said sleeve for reception in key slots of a mandrel; means preventing rotative movement of said key sleeve; spring means urging said key sleeve toward the open end of said barrel chamber, said barrel having a longitudinally extending opening through the outer wall thereof and said key sleeve having a notch in the exterior thereof exposed through said opening in the barrel wall; a partition between the first mentioned chamber and the barrel chamber, said partition having an internally threaded passage therethrough; a valve seat member having a passage therethrough and threadably received in said partition passage; a movable valve for controlling the valve passage; an axial valve stem carrying said valve member and having an externally threaded portion threadably received in the internally threaded passage in the first mentioned partition Wall; a cylindrical member secured to the upper end of said valve stem and disposed in the bore in the upper end of the body; and means at the outer end of said cylindrical member engageable by a valve actuating tool.

2. A production head for oil wells drilled into under- Water formations and having a production casing terminating adjacent the upper surface of said formation and having a release joint mandrel at the upper end thereof provided with helical slots and longitudinally extending key slots, comprising: a tubular body having a mandrel portion at the upper end provided with helical grooves and key slots at the entrances thereof; a barrel unit at the lower end of said body comprising a barrel having a barrel chamber open at the lower end; lugs in said barrel for reception in helical grooves of a mandrel; a key sleeve slidably disposed in the barrel chamber; keys depending from said sleeve for reception in key slots of a mandrel; means preventing rotative movement of said key sleeve; spring means urging said key sleeve toward the open end of said barrel chamber, said barrel having a longitudinally extending opening through the outer wall thereof and said key sleeve having a notch in the exterior thereof exposed through said opening in the barrel Wall; means defining a fluid passage from the barrel chamber to the exterior of said body; and valve means including a movable valve member for controlling said fluid passage; and means at the upper end of said body for actuating said valve member.

3. A housing for a production head, comprising: a tubular body having an internally threaded socket at the upper end from which there is an outwardly and upwardly flaring recess; a tubular barrel at the lower end of said body having a relatively large barrel chamber defined by a cylindrical wall and open at the lower end; lugs within the barrel for reception in -helical slots of a release joint mandrel; a k`ey sleeve operably disposed in said barrel chamber and including depending keys for reception in key slots of a mandrel; yielding means urging the key sleeve downwardly; said body having longitudinally ex-' tending external grooves; release members slidable in said grooves and having end portions projecting outwardly of the body; means connecting said release members and said key sleeve whereby upward movement of said release members will effect upward movement of said key sleeve to effect release of the barrel from a mandrel; va partition wall intermediate the ends of the body, said wall having an axial opening therethrough for operable reception of a production head, there also being an internal annular recess in said partition bore for registration with the discharge opening of said production head, there being a discharge passage from said recess to the exterior of the body Wherebya conduit may be connected to carry away fluid to a disposal point. l

4. In a production head: a tubular body including a mandrel part at the upper end, said mandrel part being provided with helical grooves and key slots at the entrances thereof; a barrel unit at the lower end of said body comprising a barrel having a barrel chamber therein open at the lower end; lugs in said barrel and integral therewith for reception in helical grooves of said mandrel; a key sleeve longitudinally slidable in the barrel chamber, said sleeve having keys thereon extending toward the open end of said barrel chamber; spring means urging said key sleeve toward the open end of said barrel chamber, said key sleeve being limited in its spring-urged direction by engagement with said lugs when at a predetermined spring-urged position; means for actuating said key sleeve from the exterior of said barrel for moving said sleeve to a raised position against the force of said spring; and valve means, including a movable valve member, for controlling fiow of fluid in said body.

5. A housing for a tubular production head having a lateral opening therein for fluid flow therethrough, comprising: a tubular body; means at the upper end of said tubular body for releasable engagement by installation means; and releasable latching means at the opposite end of Isaid body for releasable attachment to a cooperating support part at a casing head, said tubular body having a part therein "with a longitudinal opening therethrough for slidable reception of a production head therein, said tubular -body having passageway means therein opening laterally thereof and connected at its inner end with the lateral opening in said production head.

6. In well head apparatus, the combination of: a production head including a tubular body having means at the upper end releasably engageable by installing means, said tubular body having an external opening therein for fluid flow therethrough; releasable locking means at the opposite end adapted to releasably engage a cooperating part at the end of a well casing; valve means in said body, including a movable valve member, for regulating ow of uid in said body; a production head housing, including a tubular body having means at the upper end for releasable engagement by installing means; and releasable locking means at the lower end of said housing adapted to releasably engage a cooperating part at a casing end, the body lof said housing having 'a part with a longitudinal opening therethrough operably receiving said production head and having passageway means providing a :duid connection between the external opening of the body of the production head and the exterior of the housing body, ilow of uid into said uid connection being controlled by said valve.

7. ln a housing for a production head having an exterior opening for iluid ilow therethrough: a tubular body; means at one end of said tubular body for releasable engagement by installing means; and releasable latching means at the opposite end of said body for releasable engagement with a cooperating part at a casing head, said tubular body having partition means therein with a longitudinal opening therethrough for slidable reception of a production head therein, said tubular body having an exterior opening and passageway means adapted to be connected to the exterior opening of a production head in said longitudinal opening.

8. In a production head yfor attachment to a supporting mandrel of a release joint at the upper end of a well easing, said mandrel having helical grooves and key slots at the entrances thereof: a tubular body including a mandrel part at one end, said mandrel part being provided. with helical grooves and key slots at the entrances thereof; a barrel unit at the other end of said tubular body comprising a barrel having a barrel ch-amber therein open at the end opposite the mandrel part; lugs in said barrel for reception in helical grooves of said supporting mandrel, said lugs being an operable pant of said barrel; a key sleeve longitudinally slidable in the barrel chamber, said sleeve having keys thereon for locking reception in key slots of said supporting mandrel; spring means urging said key sleeve toward the open end of said barrel chamber, said lugs limiting spring urged movement of said key sleeve; means for actuating said key sleeve from the exterior of said barrel for moving said sleeve longitudinally inwardly in the barrel chamber; and valve means, including a movable valve member, for controlling ow of uid in said tubular body.

9. In a production head for attachment to a supporting mandrel of a release joint at the upper end of a well casing, said mandrel having helical grooves and key slots at the entrances thereof: a tubular body including a mandrel part at one end, said mandrel part being provided with helical grooves and key slots at the entrances thereof; a barrel unit at the other. end of said body comprising a barrel having a barrel chamber therein open at the end opposite the mandrel part; lugs in said barrel for reception in helical grooves of said supporting mandrel, said lugs being an operable part of said barrel; a key sleeve longitudinally slidably in the barrel chamber, said sleeve having keys thereon for locking zal reception in key slots of a supporting m-andrel; spring means urging said key sleeve toward the open end of said barrel chamber, said lugs limiting spring-urged movement of said key sleeve; and means for actuating said key sleeve from the exterior of said barrel for moving said sleeve inwardly of the barrel chamber.

19. In a housing for a tubular production head having an external opening therein for uid flow therethrough: a tubular body; means -at the upper end of said rtubular body for releasable engagement by installing means; releasable latching means at the opposite end of said body -for releasable :attachment to a cooperating support part at a casing head, said tubular body having a part therein with a longitudinal opening therethrough for slidable reception of a production head therein, said tubular body having passageway means therein opening exteriorly of said body and yadapted to be connected at its inner end with lthe exterior opening of a production head when disposed in said housing; and means for releasing said releasable latching means from the exterior of said housing.

l1. In well head apparatus: a tubular body including a mandrel part at the upper end, said mandrel part being provided with helical grooves and key slots at the entrances thereof; a barrel unit :at the lower end of said body comprising a barrel having a barrel chamber therein open lat the lower end, lugs in said .barrel and integral therewith for reception in helical grooves of -a supporting mandrel; a key sleeve longitudinally slidable in the barrel chamber, said sleeve vhaving keys thereon extending toward the open end of said barrel chamber; spring means urging said key sleeve toward the open end of said barrel chamber, said key sleeve -being limited in a spring urged direction by engagement with said lugs when at a predetermined spring urged position; and means for actuating said key sleeve `from the exterior of said barrel for moving said sleeve inwardly against the force of said spring.

12. A housing for a production head, comprising: a tubular body having an internally threaded socket at the upper end; a tubular barrel at the lower end of said body having a yrelatively large barrel chamber defined by a cylindrical wall and open at the lower end; lugs within the barrel for reception in helical slots of la release joint mandrel; a key sleeve operably disposed Iin said barrel chamber and including depending keys for reception in key slots of a mandrel; yielding means urging fthe key sleeve downwardly; said body having longitudinally extending external grooves; release members connected with said key sleeve and slidable in said grooves, said release members having end portions projecting outwardly of the body and movable longitudinally of said body, upward movement of said release members effecting upward movement of said key sleeve to effect release of lthe barrel `from a mandrel; a partition wall intermediate the ends of the body, said Wall having an axial opening therethrough lfor operable reception of -a production head, there also being van internal annular recess in said partition bore for registration with the discharge opening of said production head, there being a discharge passage from said recess to the exterior of the body whereby a conduit may be connected to carry away iluid to a disposal point.

13. In a housing for a tubular production head having an external opening therein for iluid ow therethrough: -a tubular body; means at the upper end of said tubular body for releasable engagement by installing means; remotely controllable releasable latching means .at the opposite end of said body for releasable :attachment 'to a cooperating support part at `a casing head, said tubular body having a part therein with a longitudinal opening therethrough -for slidable reception of a production head therein, said tubular body having passageway means therein opening exteriorly of said body and adapted to be connected at its inner end with the exterior opening of ya production head when disposed in said housing; and means for releasing said releasable latching means.

14. A housing for a tubular production head having a lateral opening therein for fluid ow therethrough, comprising: 'a tubular body; means at the upper end of said tubular `body for releasable engagement by installation means; and remotely operable -releasable latching means rat the opposite end of said body for releasable attachment to a cooperating support part at a casing head, `said tubular body having a part therein with la longitudinal opening therethrough for slidable reception of a production head therein, said tubular body having passsageway means therein opening laterally thereof 'and connected at its inner end with the lateral opening in said production head.

15. In Well head apparatus adapted to cooperate with a well casing and installing means: a production head assembly, said production head assembly including means for producing Well uids and including an upper part having means for detachable engagement by said installing me-ans; and remotely controllable releasable latching means for detachably connecting said production head to a cooperating part of said Well casing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,584,969 5/1926 Beazley 166-87 2,092,261 9/1937 Rector 166-86 2,096,565 10/1937 Shaffer etal 166--88 14 2,118,094 5/1938 McDonough et al. 166-87 2,134,044 10/ 1938 Humason 166-87 2,148,327 2/1939 Smith et al. 166-86 X 2,211,845 8/1940 Brown 166-47 X 2,660,248 11/1953 Brown 166-88 2,684,575 7/1954 Pryor et al. 166-665 2,726,063 12/1955 Ragland et al. 255-1.8 2,766,829 10/ 1956 Watts et al. 166-75 2,859,823 11/ 1958 Bauer 166-88 2,885,005 5/1959 Rhodes 166-75 2,909,359 10/1959 Bauer et al. Z55-1.8 2,962,096 11/1960 Knox 166-75 2,965,174 12/1960 Haeber 175-8 3,056,614 10/ 1962 McClintock et yal 285-39 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,026,706 3/1958 Germany.

OTHER REFERENCES A Revolutionary New Method for Sub-Sea Drilling Operations, Shaler, October 9, 1957.

Submarine Drilling Method To Revolutionize World- Wide Exploration, Union Oil Co. April 14, 1958.

CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner.

WALTER yBERLOWITZ, BENJAMIN BENEDETT,

Examiners.

S. H. SLABACH, R, E. FAVREAU, Assistant Examiners. 

15. IN WELL HEAD APPARATUS ADAPTED TO COOPERATE WITH A WELL CASING AND INSTALLING MEANS: A PRODUCTION HEAD ASSEMBLY, SAID PRODUCTION HEAD ASSEMBLY INCLUDING MEANS FOR PRODUCING WELL FLUIDS AND INCLUDING AN UPPER PART HAVING MEANS FOR DETACHABLE ENGAGMEMNT BY SAID INSTALLING MEANS; AND REMOTELY CONTROLLABLE RELEASABLE LATCHING MEANS FOR DETACHABLY CONNECTING SAID PRODUCTON HEAD TO A COOPERATING PART OF SAID WELL CASING. 